Windfarms’ economic benefit
Sir, This week Allt Dearg Wind Farm distributed more than £135,000 to the Ardrishaig Community Trust, which holds the village’s share in this locally-owned wind farm.
Combined with the recent payments to the Tighnabruaich and Tarbert Trusts which hold similar shares in the neighbouring Sròndoire Wind Farm, together with the wind farms’ contributions to the local educational trust, this brings the total direct community benefit payments from these projects to well over £1million.
This is a significant milestone for the projects, and highlights the socio-economic advantages of local ownership in wind power. Despite its relatively small capacity Allt Dearg is the single largest contributor of community benefit payments in Argyll.
This week the UK Government published the results of its latest tracking survey of public attitudes to energy and climate change. This shows continued growth in support for onshore wind, and eight in 10 agreed that renewable energy developments should provide direct benefits to the communities in which they are located.
Some objections to wind farms remain and our turbines remain visible in the distance. We hope that the views of Allt Dearg and Sròndoire might remind such objectors that we are economically dependent on what we can produce from the limited options available to us in remote rural areas. That our particular wind farms are able to make a significant contribution to local employment and deliver funding direct to our neighbouring communities, while supplying around 20 per cent of Argyll and Bute’s annual domestic electricity requirements from a clean renewable resource, is very satisfying.
We thank everyone who has made these projects the successes they are, and in particular thank those local community councillors and trust members who have given so much of their time in recent years to make this all happen.
For our part, we will continue our efforts to grow the industry and economic activity that provides secure employment and opportunity for our local community.
We look forward to our community partners being able to invest the fruits of these wind farms into exciting local projects.
Mary Broadfoot of Stronachullin and James F Lithgow of Ormsary